Alfonso Todd, managing partner of the Allentown-based firm The Epicenter, is spearheading the first jazz festival coming to Nazareth Borough Park on Sept. 13.

"NazJazz" is expected to attract hundreds of spectators from the Lehigh Valley and out of state, organizers say.

"I always felt this beautiful town had the infrastructure to have a regional jazz festival of its own," Todd said. He has seen similar successful shows in Berks County and Delaware Water Gap.

Todd runs an Internet radio program called "The Nazareth Chamber Chat" through his Prolifick Media company. He met Nazareth-Bath Chamber of Commerce President Tina Smith through one of the station's shows and the pair discussed bringing a musical event to the borough.

Todd said he knows plenty of Lehigh Valley musicians looking for a place to showcase their talents.

"They shouldn't have to look across the water to have ownership," he said.

Keyboardist and vocalist Frank McCracken said his group, Jazz N More, will play original music.

"We have a very unique style," he said. "We take a song and we adjust it to ourselves ... There isn't going to be a carbon copy."

"We'll have everything. For the jazz purist to urban jazz to jazz and funk," Todd said. "Jazz itself has such a wide range."

There also will be vendors, food and a children's craft area. Organizers seek corporate sponsors to help with financing.

Smith said she hopes folks will turn out because it's free, family-oriented and features "high quality, crowd-pleasing" entertainment. The chamber hopes to make it an annual event and expand each year with different acts and activities, she said.

"I'm hoping a lot of jazz enthusiasts and beginner jazz people come out and have a great time at a community event that offers some great music," Todd said. "I'm hoping they walk away, saying, 'The music was awesome.'"

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IF YOU GO

The NazJazz festival is scheduled noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 13 at Nazareth Borough Park on Broad Street Extension in Nazareth. For information, call the Nazareth-Bath Chamber of Commerce at 610-759-9188.

Scheduled to perform are:

Jazz N More: a soulful Motown, rhythm and blues and jazz band with musicians from various states.